られる confusion

[Janet Merai]

So I have been confused about "られ" "られる" "させる" and all these ら+れる/さ+れる combinations for a while now.

I know I can simply look at grammar guides and what-not, but they all have this professional way to describe it.

Can someone provide a human-like expression on what these combinations are roughly or even practically used for/with?

 

[Toritoribe]

I think you might be better to distinguish between the potential れる/られる and the passive/honorific れる/られる, first of all.

potential れる/られる
Japanese verb conjugation - Wikipedia

passive/honorific れる/られる
Japanese verb conjugation - Wikipedia

causative せる/させる
Japanese verb conjugation - Wikipedia

causative passive せられる/させられる
Japanese verb conjugation - Wikipedia
(A causative passive form can be used also for a causative potential form.)

e.g.
causative passive
母にニンジンを食べさせられた。
I was made to eat the carrots by mother.

causative potential
奥さんでさえ彼の飲酒を止めさせられない。/奥さんでさえ彼が酒を飲むのを止めさせられない。
Even his wife can't make him stop drinking.

As for the last example, I might use 止めさせることができない in this case, though.

 

[Emoni]

lol Janet. You are not the only one who gets lost with these. The particles and especially potential and passive always get mixed up in my mind. Makes me go crazy sometimes.

... and I learned these forms 3 years ago. Then again, my Japanese isn't all that good though!

Thanks Toritoribe for always posting good examples and information to these language posts.